0 discipline. people don't sneeze or go to the bathroom without asking christie's permission. so to suggest that the people closest to him, his deputy, the young woman that he fired, his spokesperson for a long time his campaign manager, bill step yan, if anybody who run a statewide campaign, you get very close with your campaign manager and two highest appoint ees on the port authority, david sampson, chairman of the port authority that christie appointed, all of these people knew and orchestrated and took part in the cover-up of bridge gate. and yeah, unbeknownst to the governor this was not going on and i find that strains kred you'llty to say the least. it leaves no skin till la of doubt in anyone's minds. >> you're saying you do not shocked. even though i knew that there is this web of underhanded sub tri fuj and political pay back that would lead to chris christie, the tone and tenor of these e-mails shocked the conscience, not just as a mother hearing this woman say it doesn't matter, they don't matter because they are going to vote for christie's opponent, but as a public official, i've been in public life for 20 years. i6 work i have worked very, very hard every day to gain the public's trust that i'm there to do the right thing and protect their interest. what this indicates is a shattering of that trust. it really is a bigger issue. it's an issue of bridge closure and public safety issues that arose out of it. the longer response time, 91-year-old woman that died when responding -- although it wasn't established definitively that's why she died. it certainly didn't help that these response time was longer. but what really bothers me is this abject just disregard and callous disregard for how their actions would impact on the people of new jersey, our vulnerable kids, those who are physically compromised. it just is -- it's more than just a bridge closure. it's about thwarting democracy. >> and i think the people of new jersey and the people of the united states of america need to know what this governor knew and when elknew it. and there are enough questions that have been raised that certainly warrant a federal investigation to determine that. >> the governor says he's now going to fort lee, wants to apologize or intended to apologize to mayor sokolich. the mayor says he doesn't want an apologize. what do you think about that? >> i have nothing to say about it. it's nice he's apologizing but more important thing is he needs to take responsibility. and he's doing anything but that. he needs to take responsibility that he runs this ship. he has a -- he runs a paramilitary type organization where chris christie knows everything that goes on, particularly at the higher esh lons and five weeks out before a campaign. he needs to take responsibility and answer questions under oath so that the people of new jersey and united states of america can have a comfort level that this individual's character is not fatally flawed. >> with all due respect and i know you've been busy doing your job today. he did spend almost two hours saying i take responsibility, i did not know. i was shocked. i learned about it when my -- finished about my trainer yesterday morning at 8:30. sleepless night last night getting to the bottom of it. i very quickly fired bridget kelly. >> no, he's known for 100 days, approximately 100 days since this surfaced in the beginning of september. you're telling me that he didn't look into it until yesterday? i mean, if that's the case, and i'll take it at face value, then that says to me -- that speaks to a greater failure in leadership that this governor knew this happened and let his inner staff andinner sank item amuck and people of new jersey be damned. >> what impact do you think this will or should have on any presidential ambitions in running for the 2016 republican nomination? >> i think it raises some serious character issues. it raises some serious issues about this man's temperament. he aspires to run the largest armed forces in the world and yet this raises serious questionses about his ability to manage the largest bridge in the world. i think at the very least -- look, if chris christie were a u.s. attorney now and we had a democratic governor and the same facts were presented, he would have already begun conducting a federal investigation and that would have been merited. but at the very least we need to have an independent law enforcement authority independent of the governor because the governor's attorney general is appointed bid him. the governor's comptroller is appointed by him. we need an independent legal authority such as the u.s. attorney's ochffice to come in d get to the bottom of this. >> to find out what he knew and when he knew it. i think he's going to be forced into it -- >> i didn't want to cut you off. >> he's going to be forced into it otherwise people won't have the comfort level they need to place their faith and trust in him again. >> thank you for being with us today as this continues to evolve. we want to go to the state assemblies transportation committee which is having an open hearing with david wildstein, one of the key players in this. >> the right to refuse to answer questions of this committee is not permitted under those rules. >> i understand this committee's view of the rules and what the rules might say, but in my plel opinion, the federal and state constitutions trump the rules that the chair is making reference to. >> okay -- >> that is the attorney for david wildstein who was the other person on the e-mails, member of the port authority and the person who wrote back to bridget kelly, got it when she suggested the traffic jam in new jersey going back to the hearing. >> but threats have been made by different persons to the media in connection with the alleged lane closures of the george washington bridge. and if for example, there were charges relating to his former employment and whether he was a public official at the time, the answer to the question that the chair just posed would be evidential. and could be used by prosecutor in his or her chain of proofs. >> thank you. >> i certainly disagree. >> understood. >> we will continue with the question. the committee does have the right to find your client's failure to respond to validly asked questions to be in contempt of this committee's subpoena and to take a vote on that and that matter may be referred to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, dours? >> that is understood. >> i would like to continue with questioning and we will address your client's objections and failure to comply at the conclusion of those questions. >> that is acceptable. >> thank you very much. mr. wildstein, i would like to ask you questions about the documents you have submitted to this committee through your attorney. in particular, i would like to draw your attention to page 751 of the documents and that may be tabbed. >> i guess they are. >> could you just give me a moment please. >> if you need the assistance of a committee aide -- >> i see the number. >> page 751, does it contain communications dated august 5th, 2013? >> on the advice of counsel, i again, assert my right to remain silent. >> and that document refers to a meeting with port authority chairman david sampson, does it not? >> on the advice of counsel, i assert my right to remain silent. >> and that also refers to a meeting with the governor of the same date? >> mr. chairman, on the advice of counsel, i assert my right to remain silent. >> for the edification of the committee and i certainly want to ask counsel, yes, sir. >> if it is your client's intention to assert that right on every single question? >> yes, sir. >> so i want to be clear. so that any question that i may ask or that any of the members of this committee may ask, it is your intention or your advice to your client to assert the right to not answer the question based on the fifth amendment? >> i anticipate that to be so in every instance. >> okay, i don't want to belabor the point but go through a couple of documents and see where we stand on that issue. >> i understand fully. >> okay. >> am i correct in understanding in regard to page 751, you are not answering on the basis of your right under the fifth amendment? >> yes. >> i then would like to draw your attention to the document at page 706. >> joining me now on the political explosion over all of this, a couple of guests but i'm going to go back to the hearing to hear a few more responses then bring in our panel. zbls we have it in front of ugs, sir. >> this e-mail communication, is it not? >> on the advice of counsel i assert my right to remain silent, sir. >> you can't tell me whether it's an e-mail or text message? >> same answer. >> okay. that's an e-mail between bridget kelly the deputy chief of staff and yourself? >> same answer. >> and that says it's time for traffic problems in fort lee? >> same answer, sir. >> you respondeded to that e-mail? >> same answer, sir. >> okay, then moving forward, there is on page -- page 753 -- sorry. i'm sorry. i strike that. 757.